SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Former Oregon player Chris Harper, now a Kansas State wide receiver, gave an interesting answer when asked for his impressions of Ducks coach Chip Kelly.

Harper recalled a time playing for Kelly in 2008 when he was the UO offensive coordinator and how the coach wanted the team to play even faster while up big against an opponent.

"He's got that aggressive, pedal-to-the-metal all the time attitude," Harper said. "That's what I remember the most is his confidence and just kind of his, I guess, Swag. You don't use that for a coach. I really don't like the 'Swag' word, I think it's kind of overused but he has this little aura about him. That's what I like about him the most."

Harper said he's excited to play against his former teammates in Thursday night's Fiesta Bowl but wanted to clear up why he transferred. He said many seem to believe he left Oregon because he didn't make it as a quarterback at Oregon. In reality, Harper said, he went to Oregon's coaches and asked to move to wide receiver when it became apparent he would not become a starting quarterback.

"I wasn't going to sit on the bench and watch when I knew I could be on the field," Harper said.

He only elected to transfer after deciding he would rather attend school closer to his hometown of Wichita, Ka.

The senior leads KSU with 50 receptions and 786 yards to go along with three touchdowns. But he misses playing quarterback.

"I miss it every play," he said. "I think everybody on the field wants to play quarterback. But it is what it is."

Asked to compare KSU coach Bill Snyder and UO coach Chip Kelly, Harper said they have similarities and differences.

"One thing that's the same about them is that both just want to coach," Harper said. "They don't want to do the extra stuff that goes with the coaching. They just want to coach the players...Snyder is more conservative and Kelly is more progressive. We are a more traditional program and Oregon is more futuristic."